In the best of circumstances, a successful relationship between a director and a writer could span several years and multiple projects. Screenwriter David Koepp has now collaborated with Steven Soderbergh three times and Steven Spielberg four times (with a fifth on the way in 2026). Paul Schrader wrote four of Martin Scorsese’s screenplays before becoming his own captain. Hideo Oguni collaborated with Akira Kurosawa 12 times.
Maybe that’s a lot of pressure. You’re not looking for a lifetime commitment (although longtime partners Peter Jackson and Fran Walsh have also worked together 12 times in this capacity). If a director is interested in your work, deciding whether they will be a good fit can be a daunting task, especially if you don’t already have a working relationship. Here is everything to consider before signing on the dotted line.
How do writers work with directors?
Like so many other aspects of filmmaking, it’s kind of a case-by-case situation. This is especially true of a medium in which the director is often seen as the author of a finished product. If you’re bringing on a directing partner early in the writing process, it may be more of a collaboration as the work develops. But if your screenplay has already been through several drafts, it’s often more a matter of passing the baton—which can be an emotionally complex thing to wrestle with!
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In film, the reality is your job is almost always done by the time principal photography starts. It is now the director’s duty to translate your words into cinematic language as they see fit. Television is a bit of a different ball game, as the extended nature of TV production calls for more on-the-day rewrites. However, you also have less of a say in who is directing your specific script when working as part of a TV writers’ room.
How to choose a director for your script
Don’t settle.
Especially for newcomers, anyone offering to produce your script can elicit an instant yes. But don’t just go all-in with the first interested party that comes your way. They might be the right choice…eventually! Take a breath and look at the bigger picture. Be confident that what you’ve written is strong enough to appeal to a wide range of artists.
Carefully consider their body of work.
If you were to give the same script to Kathryn Bigelow, the Wachowski sisters, and Spike Lee, you’d get three distinct films. (Actually, that sounds like a fun idea.) Their interpretations may all be brilliant, but which one are you hoping to make? Imagine if the “Kill Bill” movies had been directed by Wes Anderson instead of Quentin Tarantino. Pretty different! Maybe very interesting, too—but probably not right for what Tarantino had intended when he wrote it for himself.
You want a director to be an appropriate choice for the material in all ways. Sure, it could be interesting to hire a traditional documentarian to direct your animated short, but ideally you’d find a partner with a proven track record—and, maybe more importantly, a passion and interest—in your intended medium.
Make sure you know (and fight for) your story.
This might sound obvious, but you want directors to be interested in your script, specifically. While respecting that any director will have their own vision, you should be adamant that they understand and respect that you, as the writer, have one, too. Be wary of anyone who wants to acquire material just to acquire it. Ask them questions: What drew you in? What did you relate to? What parts in particular can you picture bringing to life?
If you’re talking to a first-time filmmaker, keep your ears tuned to the way they speak about your story. It’s not just about the camera angles and movements; it’s about whether or not they recognize what lies underneath the plot. Let’s say you’ve written a family drama that serves as a metaphor for your country’s turbulent past. You’re going to need a filmmaker who understands how to put those intentions onscreen.
Ultimately, you want a director that appreciates your vision as much as their own—and knows how to combine the two. That’s why we call cinema an art form of collaboration.
